My mom with her great-grandson John

He is a sweet sweet little boy.

PJ took me around to some flower shops. These were at Webber's, an event florist in Livonia.

Home Again

Flying isn't my favorite mode of transportation, but this hallway at Metro was pretty cool. The walls were covered with swirls of changing colors and new age music with dolphin sounds was playing. It was like walking through an underwater tunnel.

Happy Thursday!

Latest Project

Garden Tour

Shopping Corsage

I wore this out shopping today. Everybody smiles when you're wearing a daisy!

Saturday!

Companion Piece

This is a piece to go along with the stick project from a couple of weeks ago.

Book Review

Did you hear that our hard drive quit on us last week? It was tough without a computer. But I did get some work done in the house. I finished a couple of designs. And I finished The Help. Which is a terrific book. Really a great story. It will go down as one of my all time favorites. I loved Skeeter and Abilene and Minny and on and on.

Monday Daffodils

It's been a beautiful day!

More Peeps

Peep in a Basket

I could make these all day!

Easter Basket

Porch by Best Husband in the Whole World

Mark gave the porch a much-needed facelift. He works wonders with a paint brush. I love the black & white.

Sister Post from Kari & Kijsa

One of my favorite blogs to follow is http://kariandkijsa.blogspot.com/. And they live in Paducah! This picture and quote came from their blog post today. Love the quote, love the pictures, and they make me think about how much I love my sisters!

"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink..." ~Barbara Alpert

I was blessed with my sister PJ by birth. And along the way I've been blessed with my sisters Lori, Kathy, Laura, Nan, and Debbie. Hugs to you all!

Holes by the Artist G Dog

G Dog apparently has set a personal goal of digging a hole every day. Aren't these pretty?

And Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

Beautiful Sunday Morning

TableScape Competition

Don't know who won, but these were cool.

Book Review

Just finished Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. It was okay, but I just never did really get into it. I've not had a lot of luck with my book selections lately. I need some suggestions from all of you readers out there!

I just bought The Help by Kathryn Stockett for my new Kindle. My new Kindle isn't so very new anymore I guess, but it still feels really new to me. And I love being able to make the font BIG so that it's easy to read. Thank you to PJ for my gift certificate!

Monday Heart

This was from the sympathy show. Again, not the best picture quality, but another fab design. Something else to put on my list of things to do--build a frame!

Now That's a Hanging Basket

This was from the permanent botanical show. It's not a great shot, but I just loved it. I think it would look great out in the back yard. And it would be a bunny that's not eating my flowers! Wonder what G dog and Lilla would think?

Conference Pictures

These are from James Lutke's show last weekend. He's from Michigan. Last fall he taught us how to make a tree from a bunch of willow tips and a spool of wire. Love love love his work. I want to put some things like this in my garden. But I will have to make sure Mark doesn't use it for kindling.

Doesn't Take Much

ISFA hands-on class

I love having masses of flowers, but one bloom is magic too.

Orchids on my Table

Remember the little sign that mama and PJ gave to me about rather having orchids on my table? Well, today I have one. One perfect bloom. Just gorgeous.

We made corsages yesterday with J Schwanke, who is one of the rock stars of the floral industry. It was a fabulous weekend!

ISFA Designer of the Year

Our floral design instructor, Amy Steiner, AIFD, just won designer of the year! We're so proud of her! She's extremely talented and such a nice person. Really hard worker and she is so deserving of this award. She's going to have a great year. Way to go, Amy!

Crowne Plaza Lobby designs by Frankie Peltiere, Festive Atmospheres, St. Louis.

Illinois State Florists' Association Conference

Flowers flowers flowers!

Monday Wreath

Sunday

Artfull Bra Show

by the Quilters of South Carolina. The Monkey Business on page 2 is my favorite.

http://www.quiltersofsc.org/artfullbras/artfullbras.htm

Spring Message

This was in my e-mail box this morning:

Greetings from The Farm!
. . .we are happy to announce that the shop will begin 2009 on Tuesday, March 3rd. Oh, wait til you see – we’ve painted, cleaned, changed, & been stocking up on wonderful new treasures. I am extra committed in these trying times to keep The Farm a trip well worth it – for prices and uniqueness.
Hours – Tue thru Sat, 10-5
Phone – 217-632-2888
Web - www.visit-thefarm.com
Think spring! Gail

Saturday Forsythia

I found these branches in the cooler at class the other night. Made me so happy to find them. Over the last few years, I've been trying to get a row of them started out behind the fence. It's been a slow process because we have to carry water back there. I want to go out today and see if they are showing any signs of life.

Years ago, I bought a branch of forsythia at a florist and paid $4 for it. A bargain for a little bit of spring. Clayton had come up to see the boys and noticed it. The next week, out of the blue, I received a cardboard tube in the mail--a whole bundle of forsythia branches from Kentucky!

Waitin' for Spring

G Dog the Coffee Lover

He is the sweetest boy ever. When he's not digging holes, that is. We went out at lunch yesterday to survey the kingdom. Lots of work out there to do, but we're looking forward to it. G dog found his coffee opportunity when I set my cup down to look for hellebore blooms under the leaves.

I Can't Watch the News Anymore

Anybody else having trouble watching the news these days? Here's a post from Marianne Williamson's blog on oprah.com. entitled, "God, the Economy, and You".

It's easy to fall into fear and despair regarding the depressing economic news, but it's important to remember that spiritual principle transcends all that. God's laws are higher than economic laws, and God never goes into a recession.
So every time you hear a news report saying things are worse and are going to get worse before they get better, you might want to counter that fear-based thinking and speak your own word. Deliver your own news.
Love is the source of your good, and the source of your abundance. As you develop more and more fully your capacity to love, then miracles will occur naturally in your life....regardless of what's happening in the economy!
Whatever doors might close to us, God will open new ones...as long as our minds are willing and our hearts are open.

http://www.oprah.com/contributorblog/spirit/mariannewilliamson

And to go along with that, a little tulip therapy never hurts!

Book Review

Very Valentine was a fun read. I think the author, Andriana Trigiano, knows Julia Cameron and The Artist's Way. I should look through the acknowledgements to see. Basically it's a romance novel and a family story too. The main character, whose name is Valentine, learns how to make wedding shoes from her grandmother and tries to save the family business.

Saturday Vase

Front Door

I posted the first version of this a few weeks ago. Ever since we made it in class, I've been finding other stuff to put in it. I had more, but I think this is enough for now. Maybe I'll start collecting for the next one.

Live Happy 2

We made a "new" headboard out of Lori & Todd's former shutters and added
side tables with lamps. Lilla can't believe we did all this for her.